Qingpu Chenghuang Temple

Qingpu Chenghuang Temple

Qingpu Chenghuang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Qingpu Chenghuang Temple is located in Qingpu, an ancient town in the water towns of the Jiangnan region on the western outskirts of Shanghai. According to the Qingpu County Annals: “In 1573 AD, the county seat was relocated from the ancient Qinglong Town to its current location. Canals were dug and the city wall was built, and the temple was constructed in that same year.” Generally, the Chenghuang Temple played a rather important role in the construction of ancient county seats, second only in status to the government office and the Confucian temple.

During the Ming Chongzhen era, the Chenghuang Temple was renovated and expanded in the 11th (1638 AD), 16th (1673 AD), and 17th (1674 AD) years of Chongzhen’s reign. In the 10th year of the Qing Qianlong reign (1745 AD), then-county magistrate Qiao Shizu initiated the construction of Lingyuan Garden east of the temple. During the Jiaqing era, Lingyuan Garden was renamed “Qushui Garden,” serving as an affiliated garden to the Chenghuang Temple. In the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign, when the Taiping Army advanced into Shanghai, Qing troops and the American mercenary “Ever Victorious Army” led by Frederick Townsend Ward resisted in Qingpu. Most of the Chenghuang Temple buildings were destroyed in the battle. In the 10th year of the Guangxu reign, both the temple and Qushui Garden were restored. On the fourth day of the second lunar month in 1848 (March 8, 1848), a conflict occurred between British missionaries and local Chinese people in the square in front of Qingpu Chenghuang Temple. This incident is historically known as the “Qingpu Missionary Case.” On May 4, 1979, the site of the missionary case in front of the temple was designated as a memorial location by the county government, and the Chenghuang Temple also became the site of the county revolutionary museum.

Historically, incense smoke curled continuously within Qingpu Chenghuang Temple, with candlelight blazing brightly. Devotees offering incense came in an endless stream, shoulder to shoulder. Worshiping the Chenghuang deity annually to pray for peace throughout the year had become a part of everyday life for the people. No matter how history changed, faith in the Chenghuang deity had taken deep root in the hearts of the Qingpu populace. The annual Chenghuang procession was especially grand and solemn. Merchants along the route set up incense altars in front of their shops, and local families placed incense at their doorsteps. Streamers fluttered, drums and music played in unison, and the procession stretched several miles long—majestic and truly spectacular.

In a time of peace and prosperity, with smooth governance and harmonious people, in order to implement the policy of religious freedom, Qingpu Chenghuang Temple was returned to Taoist management and reopened. On December 28, 2005, the completion ceremony of the temple’s restoration and the consecration of the Chenghuang statue were held, and Qingpu Chenghuang Temple officially reopened to the public.

The fully restored Chenghuang Temple is encircled by a small river. Crossing a stone bridge and passing through a memorial archway, you arrive at the mountain gate. In front of the main gate stand a pair of stone lions facing each other—the male lion holds a brocade ball, while the female embraces a cub, their lines soft and flowing. Entering the three-bay ceremonial gate, the Four Bureaus—Changren (Longevity), Gaochang (Prosperity), Xinjiang (New River), and Caibo (Wealth)—stand tall and imposing on either side, guarding the entrance. Passing through the mountain gate, one sees a couplet on the stone pillar: “Upon entering, touch your heart—better to correct your faults and turn to goodness. Upon leaving, do good deeds—better than lighting candles or burning incense.” On the back is another couplet: “Of all evils, lust is the foremost; of all virtues, filial piety comes first.” Originally, there was an ancient stage, built on a stone foundation and paved with finely ground square bricks. Its decorated eaves feature carvings of civil and military dramas, birds, flowers, figures, and weapons—all exquisitely crafted and lifelike. Beneath the stage lie two stone tablets: one records the county’s history, the other the temple’s history—both are cultural relics. On the beam in front of the stage is carved the inscription “Reflect on Antiquity to Guide the Present.” The two stone pillars on the sides bear a couplet: “Within a few feet of space, there can be homes, nations, and the world; throughout the ages, there are the wise, the foolish, and even immortals.” According to temple regulations, the stage was originally used to entertain the deity. But entertaining the deity also entertained the people—“literature carries the Way, music teaches virtue.” Whether in the meaning of the couplets or the content of the performances, the emphasis lies in gently guiding and admonishing the people, enriching their spiritual world while instilling the creed: “Abstain from all evil, practice all good, and surely future blessings will follow.”

On either side of the stage are side rooms, enshrining deities such as Lü Dongbin, the God of Wealth (civil and martial), the Three Stars, Wenchang, the Moon God, the Earth God, and General Liu Mengjiang. Bell and drum towers stand symmetrically on the left and right, with a “Hall of Remembrance” upstairs where devotees may place ancestral tablets for worship and offer prayers, expressing their grief. Taoist priests regularly recite scriptures here to pray for the souls of the departed.

In front of the stage is a flagstone-paved plaza. Ascending the steps leads to the main hall. The original two-story structure has been opened up to form a single integrated building, appearing especially majestic and grand. Hanging high upstairs is an oversized abacus, quite unique compared to the plaques on either side. It displays auspicious numbers: “66 for smoothness,” “8 directions for peace,” and “99 to return to unity.” Everyone faces many life challenges; ages 3, 6, and 9 are considered difficult years. A sexagenary cycle spans sixty years—if one lives to sixty, they’ll pass through eighteen such challenging years. The three sixes on the abacus signify the hope that everyone can overcome these hurdles smoothly. The three “8s” afterward represent the twenty-four solar terms in a year (3 x 8 = 24), with the hope that each year brings favorable weather and peaceful passage through the seasons. The digits from one to nine reflect the Taoist belief that each person has a “Book of Merits and Demerits” in life. Every good or bad deed is recorded by the Chenghuang’s civil and martial judges. After death, it is believed that the judging deities decide one’s fate in the next life based on this record. Thus, the entire abacus serves as a message from the Chenghuang to encourage goodness and discourage selfish scheming. As the saying goes, “No matter how many calculations man makes, Heaven’s reckoning is ultimate.” Remember, the divine watches from just above your head—your petty schemes can’t compare to Heaven’s scale. No matter how you calculate, in the end, you only deceive yourself. Paired with the Ten Kings of Hell paintings on the walls behind the hall, these serve to strike fear into the wicked and lift the hearts of the virtuous.

Entering the main hall, the great Chenghuang deity sits solemnly in the center, flanked by civil and martial judges, the Day and Night Patrol Gods, and black-robed guardian spirits—awe-inspiring without even needing to show anger. Looking up, one sees golden cranes fluttering and colorful clouds drifting, as the gold-lacquered and painted ceiling and murals together form a grand scene of “a thousand cranes paying homage,” magnificent and inspiring deep reverence.

Belief in the Chenghuang deity took shape as early as the Zhou Dynasty. “Cheng” refers to the city wall; “huang” means a dry moat. Together, they imply the deity who guards the city. In the second year of the Hongwu reign, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, conferred titles and ranks upon Chenghuang deities at different administrative levels—capital, prefecture, department, and county—resulting in Chenghuang Temples across the land, each enshrining a different Chenghuang. Those who became Chenghuang were often meritorious officials—real historical figures. During the Chongzhen era, Emperor Chongzhen decreed that the late Sichuan Provincial Administration Commissioner Shen En be appointed as the Chenghuang of Qingpu County “to demonstrate the reward for merit,” granting him the title “Manifesting-Spirit Earl” (“Bo,” or earl). The county annals state: “The Qingpu Chenghuang, Mr. Shen En, was a native of Shanghai… His tomb is located west of the front gate of the vegetable market near Baxian Bridge…”

Legends about the Qingpu Chenghuang’s miraculous interventions are even more concrete and have been passed down through generations. When Emperor Qianlong traveled to the south of the Yangtze during his southern inspection tours, his dragon boat passed through Dianshan Lake when suddenly, a storm arose, and the boat lost its way. Just as everyone was at a loss, two lanterns appeared at the bow of the boat, guiding the way—faintly bearing the words “Manifesting-Spirit Earl” on them, allowing the boat to safely reach harbor. The next day, Emperor Qianlong sent someone to inquire and learned that it was the title of the town’s Chenghuang. Upon visiting the temple, he saw that the Chenghuang’s official robe was still wet with water stains. Because the Chenghuang had safeguarded the imperial journey, Emperor Qianlong conferred upon him the additional title “Blessing-Granting Manifesting-Spirit Earl.” This imperial decree remains preserved in the Qingpu Museum to this day.

The Qingpu Chenghuang also maintained a temporary palace in Zhujiajiao Town, where legends about the “Black-Armed Chenghuang” are still told. In 1937, Japanese planes frequently bombed Zhujiajiao. Once, a Japanese plane flew over the Chenghuang Temple, circled once, then suddenly dropped a pitch-black object—a bomb falling straight down. At that moment, a group of people happened to be lying on the ground to take cover from the air raid. Had the bomb hit, they would have surely perished. There was no time to flee or hide, so they could only resign themselves to fate. Strangely enough, though the bomb initially moved in a straight line, just before hitting the ground, it curved as if pushed in the opposite direction. Even more bizarre, the bomb circled the Chenghuang Temple several times before finally, as if struck by an invisible force, wobbling down and landing harmlessly about 30 meters away from the temple. Afterward, it was found that only one person—a traitorous tofu shop owner surnamed Zhu—had been killed; not a single person taking cover near the temple was injured. After surviving the disaster, crowds flocked to the Chenghuang Temple to burn incense and pray for protection. One brave soul, after praying, went behind the Chenghuang statue and unexpectedly discovered a large scorched black mark on the deity’s arm, with the whole hand charred black. Recalling the terrifying scene, everyone said it was the Chenghuang’s miraculous intervention—he had risked himself to save the people of Zhujiajiao.

Behind the main hall lies another chamber, the Lady’s Hall, enshrining the Chenghuang’s consort, complete with a bedroom, study, and all the necessary items for processions such as palanquins and boats. Between the two halls is an exquisitely designed fountain. The twelve zodiac animals are arranged in the four cardinal directions, with the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise guarding the four directions. In the pool, a white crane holds a copper coin in its beak, beneath which a spirit turtle supports it. A small copper bell hangs from the hole in the coin—devotees often toss coins, and when the bell rings, it is believed to bestow blessings.

Ascending the stairways through the “Gate of Emptiness” and “Gate of Stillness” on either side of the main hall leads to the Jiazi Hall, where visitors can find their own birth-sign guardian deities. The upper floors of the various halls are interconnected by corridors, with pavilions and towers scattered at varying heights. On misty rainy days, a veil of thin fog hovers above, evoking a dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere akin to a fairyland.

The temple’s halls are divided into two sections, with the eastern wing rooms as the boundary. Unfortunately, the eastern “Hall of Enlightenment” and “Imperial Calligraphy Tower” have yet to be reclaimed and restored. Further back is the Guanyin Hall, the oldest structure in the temple, enshrining Guanyin, Mazu, and the Goddess of Eye Health. The next section houses the administrative and living quarters.

The entire Chenghuang Temple covers an area of 2,361 square meters and is a district-level cultural heritage site. Structures such as the mountain gate, stage, side halls, bell and drum towers, main hall, Lady’s Hall, Jiazi Hall, and Cihang Hall are all interconnected, forming a cohesive complex. The upturned eaves and interlocking brackets of each hall create a layout that is both spacious and dense, exuding grandeur. The temple houses ninety-nine solemn and composed deity statues. Currently, five Zhengyi Taoist priests serve at the temple, including three young priests who graduated from Taoist colleges. The temple is managed democratically by a committee, with Abbot Cheng Dusheng—a college-educated Taoist master ordained under Shanghai Chenghuang Temple’s head abbot Chen Liansheng, with the dharma name Dafu—as its director. In 2002, he was elected president of the Qingpu District Taoist Association. On Taoist activity days, the priests conduct “Peaceful Public Rituals” for worshippers to invite blessings, ensure peace, and bring seasonal safety. For funerals or memorials, believers request the priests to perform Taoist rites to aid the deceased in ascending to heaven.

“Only here do outstanding people and a spiritual land converge—truly beyond comparison to other places.” This is how a Song Dynasty poet sincerely described the Qingpu region. Millennia of wind and rain have nurtured the civilization of Jiangnan, and the Chenghuang, the deity of the local community, has blessed the people of Qingpu. It stirs emotion and invites remembrance. In the misty twilight, accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums, Qingpu Chenghuang Temple—this refined yet majestic Taoist temple—will guide you through time and space...